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4/24/10 f [0s, 6 v] I Two new vets. Talked about "mindfulness", focusing on inner self and each specific area being used in a technique. During warm-ups, stressed breathing and relaxing to center during all warm-up moves, focusing on the muscle group being used.

Worked from gyaku hanmi [cross hold]. Started with ikkyo and progressed to nikkyo, omote [front] and ura [behind]. Most people are relaxing and centering much better.

After demonstrating an ura technique, one of the guys didn't want to do it. When I talked to him, he said it looked too dangerous to his partner [uke]. I had him do the technique on me as I talked him through it, stressing being relaxed in his upper body so he could be sensitive to the effect the move was having on me [uke]. He did pretty well, so I had him do it a couple of more times with out help. He said I was just going along and letting him do it [which I was the first two times, but not the last] so I had him do it with his partner, who didn't know how to go along. His comment was,"Oh shit, this stuff really works. I can deal with stuff without hurting anyone!".

This echos what a number of guys have said, they like knowing that they can deal effectively with aggression with out necessarily hurting anyone. If they learn that relaxing and remaining centered is what does this, I will be giving them the most important skill I can in the six weeks I've got.

Relaxing and centering, this is the key. After having read your post I have to agree. When you're relaxed and centered, it seems to me to be conducive to harmonizing, thereby inflicting the least amount of harm. I am always so worried about hurting someone during practice ( though I am getting better), I think that makes it harder for me to relax, not realizing that I could potentially do more harm than not. I feel as if I just had a revelation. Relax and center, it makes a great practice for all concerned